Yoga is growing in popularity year after year, it’s a great way to get a full-body workout without the sweat. It allows you to reap all the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and at the same time, cater to your mental, and spiritual health.
That said, we’ve chosen some of the best yoga bolsters to help you ease into this exercise.
Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of the products we have discussed in this article, we may receive a small commission.
- Brentwood Home Yoga Bolster – Best overall
- ForPro Yoga Bolster – Great value option
- EarthLite Yoga Bolster
- YogaAccessories Yoga Bolster
- RetroSpec Yoga Bolster
Table of Contents
Which Bolster Boasts the Most? Our Top 5
The best yoga bolster for you depends on what your individual goals are and what level you’re at. We have included a range to help you choose the perfect yoga pillow.
1. Brentwood Home – Best Overall Yoga Bolster
A unique option, this yoga bolster is filled with buckwheat rather than traditional foam or cotton. Although it may sound a bit strange, the buckwheat adds more support by making the pillow heavier, but at the same time maintains that malleability with the body during the stretch.
The buckwheat is placed in a cotton liner, which can easily be removed if you want to change the amount of filling or replace it with a fresh batch. This feature allows it to be suitable for a wide range of yoga poses and makes it especially ideal for restorative yoga.
The outer layer is also machine washable, so you don’t have to worry about the beautiful cream color getting dirty.
Pros:
- Supports a wide range of skill levels.
- Ideal for restorative yoga.
- Has a certified GOTS cotton liner to hold the buckwheat.
- Density of the bolster can be adjusted.
- Cover is machine washable.
Cons:
- Heavy.
- Expensive.
2. ForPro Yoga Bolster
This is a first-rate yoga bolster; it has all the basics as well as being a reasonable price. It’s small and light enough—just one pound—to be carried around from your home to the studio. It’s oil and stain-resistant, so you don’t have to worry too much about keeping it clean.
The yoga pillow is made to mesh with your body and take its shape during the stretch, so you’ll be very comfortable throughout the pose, especially if you’re a beginner. It’s a bit softer than the average yoga pillow, but if that suits your yoga needs, then this is a great option.
Pros:
- Light and portable.
- Vinyl covering—oil and stain-resistant.
- Great price.
- Soft enough to mold and curve with body.
- Can be used as a sleeping aid.
Cons:
- Not machine washable.
- Comes in only one color.
- Very soft if you are looking for a deeper stretch.
3. EarthLite Yoga Bolster
If you’re looking for a more heavy-duty yoga bolster that can take you through a very deep stretch, this is a great option for you.
This yoga pillow comes in a wide range of different thickness levels, so you can choose what thickness will best cater to the level of stretch you wish to attain.
Stiffer than the average yoga pillow, it’s still soft enough that it doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable during a stretch. It can be used as a massage pillow, and also as a sleeping aid if you have any back issues. You can pick between five different styles and eight different colors to customize your yoga prop for individual flair.
Pros:
- Available in different levels of thickness.
- Can endure a deep stretch.
- May be used as a massage pillow or sleeping aid.
- Plenty of colors and styles.
- One year guarantee.
Cons:
- Can be too firm for a beginner.
- Jumbo size is larger than the average yoga pillow.
- Not machine washable.
4. YogaAccessories Yoga Bolster
What makes this yoga bolster unique is that it comes with a nifty option for choosing how much cotton you want. You can remove cotton or add it depending on your needs, so you can adjust to accommodate your specific pose or your body shape and size accurately.
It’s also a bit larger than standard, coming in at 28 inches rather than 26. This provides extra support as well as allowing for a wider range of stretches. It’s got straps to help you carry it; it’s machine washable—so you don’t have to worry about sweat stains—and comes in a variety of different colors.
Pros:
- Made of 100 percent cotton.
- The cover is machine washable.
- Has handles for portability.
- Comes in a wide variety of colors.
- Filling is adjustable.
Cons:
- Larger than the average yoga pillow.
- May have a slight chemical odour.
- Can be too firm for restorative yoga.
5. RetroSpec Yoga Bolster
Coming in a wide range of beautiful colors such as midnight blue and bright purple, this pillow comes in two shapes—round and rectangular.
So if you are having a particular issue with a certain stretch or you suffer from any back issues or just want to improve your posture when you’re sitting, you can choose the shape that will best suit you.
It covers all the basics—as well as being machine-washable, it comes with small handles to help you move it around. It’s also 100 percent cotton both in the interior and on the exterior, so the softness of the pillow will keep you relaxed and comfortable.
Pros:
- Cover is machine washable.
- Has handles for easy portability.
- Wide range of colors.
- There are two shapes—rectangular and cylindrical.
- Doesn’t lose shape with use.
Cons:
- Can be too large.
- Soft, no good if you’re looking for a more heavy-duty stretch.
About Yoga?
Before we get into what a yoga bolster is, a quick word about what yoga is all about.
Yoga has spiritual links to Hinduism, a philosophy that teaches you how to calm down the activity of body, mind, and will, described to be “at war.” By doing so, you find a balance between the three and recognize how important each one is when they are in harmony.
It’s actually as incredible as it sounds.
Yoga has a lot of different schools, all of which follow different methodologies and principles, but one thing they all have in common is the basic principle of breathing.
That’s when having the best yoga bolster is handy.
What Is a Yoga Bolster?
A yoga bolster is a pillow that’s used to support the body in different ways to help guide and deepen breathing during any yoga pose.
There are many different props that can help your yoga stretch, but the bolster aims to relax you by providing soft but firm support for your body and allowing you to deepen your breath.
A good yoga bolster will help make sure that you enjoy all these stretches and get the full benefit of the pose. For instance, with bridge pose, if you can’t lift your body up unsupported a bolster could help.
What to Look for in a Yoga Bolster
Sort of like the Goldilocks principle, the best yoga bolster for you has to be “just right.” It must be hard enough to support you, but soft enough to be comfortable.
Most yoga bolsters opt for cotton filling, but there are some that fill the yoga pillow with buckwheat instead of cotton to make the pillow heavier, the density of which can be adjusted. These options give you room to make sure the pillow can support the stretches you are aiming for.
They come in a standard dimension of 26 inches long, but some are made even larger for extra support.
Some come with a strap for portability, and some come with a machine wash option for the cover to make sure it stays hygienic.
In conclusion
After reading about the different kinds of yoga pillows out there, you can choose the best yoga bolster for your requirements. Our choice of the best yoga bolster is the Brentwood Home Yoga Bolster.
It offers all the basic needs of a yoga pillow and is still a reasonable price, more than most but it is made in the USA. The fact that you can adjust the density of the pillow means that you can customize it to your needs, making it your perfect all-purpose yoga pillow. Whatever you choose, namaste!
